February 2003 Volume 84 Number 1 "serving the protectors"
Chaplaincy Parable of the hill-climb
By Mark Thomas Chaplain to Port Augusta Police

I made it – right to the top of Mt Remarkable. And I did it not on the gentle track from Melrose, but straight up the side, from the Diocesan campsite just north of Melrose where we were having a three-day retreat.

Some of you might already have made the climb. I can think of some officers at Port Augusta for whom it might be a special challenge. But, as an out-of-condition 55-year-old, I was just a bit pleased with myself. Mind you, I didn’t exactly sprint up the hill.

Actually, I was with a clergy mate, Rod, who is over 50 but, unlike me, built like a mountain goat. I think he is the reason I got all the way. I don’t know how many times I heard: “Well over half-way now”, “Just a short steep part here”, “We’ll have a rest at the next tree”, and “Just a short way now”.

The truth is that I was blown about half-way up and, towards the top, we were stopping every 30 steps or so. But, even as I struggled, it occurred to me that the climb was a bit like the way I have coped with parts of my life: taking it in small steps, a day at a time, and reaching out for genuine support.

Getting to the top was just great. I was totally buggered. There was a tank for drinking-water, beside which I collapsed, dwelling on the marvel of water to the thirsty soul. Rod told me he had climbed the mountain every year for the last 13 years or so.

Apparently, many groups and walkers had been lost over the years, especially when cloud had descended on the range. Thinking back on the track we had just come up, I could easily believe it. There was neither a clearly marked way nor track markers – just unending scree in every direction.

As I contemplated being lost up near the top, it again occurred to me that here was a symbol of how easy it is to get lost in life, especially when the cloud descends to obscure our vision and isolate us from familiar landmarks.

I know that I have been grateful many times for the guiding story of Jesus Christ in my life, as I have struggled with difficulties and setbacks and, sadly, even the loss of a 22-year marriage.

I increasingly wonder how, in a world of increasing complexity, people without a guiding story stay on the track of their lives. The path to the top would seem increasingly less obvious for the myriad of opportunities and alternatives which would take them to the right or left of the real track.

I wonder where and how they find the wherewithal to help them face suffering, work out right from wrong, provide them with a basis of a relationship and sustain them when life is not so good. I imagine it is a bit like being on patrol without the belt full of gear that allows the officer to do what he or she is actually meant to do.

Anyway, after 10-or-so minutes, I was beginning to feel human again, so we set off from the trig point for the downhill march. We saw some great views of Melrose and the surrounding country. Rod, however, nearly stepped on a three-foot brown snake sunning itself beside the track.

We arrived at the bottom happy but tired and with sore shins and knees. More important, however, I had gained just a little more insight into my journey through life.

SA Police Chaplains

Welfare Section 58	David Marr	8364 3567
	Senior Police Chaplain.
Academy 8	Brenton Daulby	8272 8324
Adelaide: 158	Vacant
Adelaide Hills Division 54	Tony Bartel	8398 2517
Ceduna 214	Sybil Peacock	8625 3505
Christies Beach 20	Peter Coote	8381 3039
		0412 818 995
Clare 202	Michael Dutschke	8842 3681
Communications 172	David Hand	8376 5612
Elizabeth 52	Lindsay Mayes	8281 8088
Far North 210	John Folkman	8672 5011
Firearms/Records	Dianna Bartlett	8337 8552
		0403 281 596
Gawler 52	Brian Tscharke	8522 2288
Glenelg/Netley 22	Bruce Grindlay	8295 2220
		0412 014 788
Henley Beach 18	Tim Kowald	8449 6868
Holden Hill 44	Rod Dyson	8365 1170
Kadina 71	Vacant
Kingston 208	Vacant
Mount Gambier 208	Brian Ashworth	(w) 8723 1353
		(h) 8725 2537
Murray Bridge 200	Malcolm Bottrill	8532 5536
Naracoorte 208	Bruce Cliff	8737 2457
		0417 811 702
Norwood 60	John Dunkley	8278 5767
		0401 691 624
		0418 831 703
Nuriootpa 204	Andy Kowald	8562 1011
Port Adelaide 6	Jeff Oake	8341 5930
Port Pirie 206	Steve Ardill	8632 3977
Prosecution Services 176	Vacant
Port Augusta PS 210	Mark Thomas	8642 2487
		0401 671 850
Port Lincoln 214	Lester Reinbott	8683 3018
Riverland 212	Robin Zadow	8588 1540
Salisbury 53	Vacant
South East	Terry Natt	8571 1114
Star Group 31	Ron Roberts	8295 8349
		0403 065 899
Sturt 12	Chris Beal	8278 9578
	Ian Dempsey	8296 7292
Tea Tree Gully 48	Bob George	8395 9363
Thebarton Barracks 32	Vacant
Transit Division	Rob Packer	8332 9155
Victor Harbor	Graham Rogerson	(h) 8552 1718
		(w) 8552 5029
Whyalla 218	Tony Redden	8649 3593

PASAweb   Index & Search   Top of Page   Comments   Email to Editor

The Police Journal Online is an official publication of the Police Association of South Australia and is published monthly. Editors of kindred publications can seek permission from the Editor to re-publish any Police Journal Online article. Copyright 2001  The Police Association of South Australia sustance